German parents banned from naming baby Wikileaks

A father has been forbidden from naming his newborn son WikiLeaks, amid concerns that the moniker could endanger the baby’s welfare

Mainz: A father has been forbidden from naming his newborn son WikiLeaks, amid concerns that the moniker could endanger the baby’s welfare.

Hajar Hamalaw, a journalist and photographer who fled Iraq in 2000 and now lives in the German city of Passau, said the campaigning organisation founded by Julian Assange has had a deep impact on him.

“This is not only a simple name for me — it has a big meaning. WikiLeaks has changed the world,” said the 28-year-old dad. “For my family, the name is a synonym with transparent truth,” he added. “My two-year-old daughter is called Diya, which translates to light of truth.”

The German official at Passau’s registry office in Bavaria initially did not know what WikiLeaks meant, according to Hamalaw. “She thought I was presenting the name of a television show,” Hamalaw said.

“We were very disappointed after the rejection. Hundreds of people across the globe were allowed to use the name of Barack Obama’s dog for their child, but I can’t use WikiLeaks?”

Did you know?In Denmark, parents have to choose a name from a list of 7,000 names